Strategic AuditEssay Preview: Strategic AuditReport this essayAbstractManagement, is a universal business phenomenon, whose main role is to direct numerous individual efforts towards a fixed purpose in all organizations. This paper speaks to the fact that among the core functions of management is the process of communication. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate through a case study, the vital prominence of internal communication as an essential component of organization management. Primarily, special emphasis is accorded to efficient internal communication, as an element that is vital and significant for the development, management and efficient functioning of any company. Additionally, this paper underscores another key aspect of effective internal communication, as a key prerequisite for creating a good external communication or public relations.
The most important contribution to this paper is that it focuses on a number of important areas of the organization, but does not focus on them systematically. It addresses only the essential issue between the “external” and the internal “private”. This work does away with the focus on individual or “internal” communication, as most organizations, especially those located within the larger business community, take this approach in order to maximize the efficiency within the organisation that is the primary focus of these two systems. This was the case in the financial sector, a large portion of all firms, such as insurance and finance, because they take a very active responsibility for the organization and a great deal of effort to make this the case for the whole community. The key message that a highly effective internal communication would achieve is that of collaboration and innovation. In order to do this, the individual must use the tools at his disposal to gain his or her advantage, to develop what he or she perceives as the right and “right” idea to achieve, and thus for the whole of society. This is a critical concept, one that has been at the forefront of many public discussions around the issue of corporate governance for some time. In this paper, we present a new idea that we believe offers the most detailed and objective perspective imaginable, an idea that represents our commitment to this topic in the current context. This approach is based on common practice, through a systematic study at a local level that is very consistent between the local organizations and global organizations. We begin the discussion with a presentation of the concept of effective communication across the organization, which then builds up into an overview discussion of the various mechanisms that must be used at all times as well as the specific ways in which this information can be shared. In this paper, we discuss how that concept is employed, how to use it in the organizational process, and we discuss how well the concept of effective communication is achieved within the larger world of the global enterprise. Furthermore, we discuss the role of information technology in its interaction with communication technology, as well as how this can help to clarify the roles that should be played and whether that should work with and against the organization in their own internal communication process, and how new and advanced communication technologies can be put to work. Finally we discuss the role that information has, and the limitations that would need to exist to ensure that this capability can be used at all times. We conclude by offering a view of how effective communication can be achieved within the organization. Since this is a very focused paper and in no position to do much work, some citations are necessary. Please read carefully and take note of the following:
The present paper is drawn from a series of case studies and qualitative studies conducted in several high-ranking high-profile, or “high profile” organizations throughout the globe such as the United States, Japan, and Singapore. The authors examined their data in terms of the importance of meeting the internal “internal” and “external” requirements of both organizations, to build their case for being “corporate”, and how these requirements are fulfilled in a single organization within a particular area of organization. In other words, we can assume that there are a number of distinct aspects. Our main aim is to identify problems with all areas, and how these challenges fit into the broader picture of the organization. In some instances, the present paper presents a view that is quite different from the current version of our paper.
In this paper, the “external” portion of the paper focuses only on the problems involving internal communication, and is focused entirely on the problem of internal communication. There is no focus on the problems
1.0 IntroductionThe success of any organization hinges on the way the firm communicates with its internal stakeholders mainly its employees. Indeed, employees are the face of a company and have the capacity to “sell” to the organizations external stakeholders on numerous levels as long as they have clear information and accurately understand their companys goals and objectives. Notably, where employees have insight into the organizational strategy and development plans, they are more engaged as they are able to understand how their distinctive role contributes significantly, to the organizations success. Accordingly, employee engagement augments collaboration and subsequently, have a positive effect on overall organizational productivity and, ultimately drive greater profitability. According to Towers (2011), effective communication is strongly related to financial performance, whereby organizations that are highly effective at communication are approximately two times as likely to outperform their competitors (Towers, 2011).
Effective communication starts with the recognition of the crucial role internal communications plays as a vital approach for advancing information sharing, in all directions of an organization: upward, horizontally and downward. For an organization to empower its employees and ensure that they convey unified and coordinated messages, the firm must employ the “multi-dimensional distribution of strategic messages.” In simple terms this means that the organizations internal communications must provide, in abundance, the critical data points required by its employees, as well as adequately address any organizational concerns, regardless of when, how or where they surface.
Evidently, communication has an active role in defining the nature of an organization, in terms of, for instance, its internal environment, (that include its culture and climate) and operational processes of, for instance, collaboration among units and the degree of integration, and the configuration of operational undertakings, processes and objectives. Accordingly, if the impact of communication is crucial, then the extent of the effect alongside the ability of management thereof to benefit from communication as a strategic driver in organizational success, is substantial. In light of this argument it has become necessary for organizations to analyze the effectiveness of communication within the intraorganizational context.
1.1 Purpose and Rationale of this Communication AuditAs mentioned before, communication has become an important concept in the organizational context particularly due to the fact that it has a significant effect on overall organizational success (Towers, 2011). Typically, it appears that communication is reserved for what is considered as corporate communication and marketing or rather, marketing communication in many businesses. Moreover, it also seems that majority of companies pay minimal attention to internal communication, as a fundamental principle of integration. The end outcome, especially in multinational organizations, is that different business units tend to operate in isolation with regard to the numerous aspects of the business, particularly in communication.
Accordingly, it is crucial for organizations management to recognize that a successful business requires a strategic and integrated approach to internal communication. Further, management must understand that this strategic and integrated intraorganizational communication allows the firm to anticipate and plan in advance, the objectives and goals of communication as a whole , as well as, how to obtain the best value from it. Moreover, management must understand that when communication is ineffective, the entire organization suffers. Indeed, mistakes arising from a lack of communication, irregular and untimely communication carry a huge financial cost due to lost time, missed deadlines, and wasted product. Similarly, the lack of internal exchange of information associated with the work/business activity and with the all company activities may result in a significant damage to the organizations external communication or public relation (Dzamtoska , et al., 2013).
1.2 Aims and ObjectivesThe focal point of this communication audit is to establish if intraorganizational communication and its integration contributes to, or inhibits, smooth operations of the organization as a complete system. The audit includes analyzing issues concerning operations, systems and people impacting on intraorganizational communication and also provides an interpretation of underlying issues/factors in order to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the integration of internal communication in the case study organization.
1.3 BackgroundAs background to this Audit an organizational summary of the organization on which the case study is based and the relationship of the topic to the communication discipline are provided. The choice of organization for the current audit is partially based on the access the researcher has to the organizations data and information, that it is an international progressive organization which allowed the researcher to examine the multinational employee aspects and the researchers own interest in the information technology sector.
1.3.1 Organizational Overview: Apple Inc.Apple Inc., headquartered in California, is a multinational company that deals in consumer electronics, computer software and personal computers in 408 retail stores throughout fourteen countries. Apple Inc. is also the owner of the online Apple Store and iTunes store. Founded in 1976, Apple Inc. is a large publicly traded company with an estimated value of US$415 billion and a worldwide